


Rivalry

by magumarashi



Series: Hoenn Memories [5]
Category: Pocket Monsters: Ruby & Sapphire & Emerald | Pokemon Ruby Sapphire Emerald Versions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-18
Updated: 2015-01-18
Packaged: 2019-01-30 03:07:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12644901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magumarashi/pseuds/magumarashi
Summary: After losing yet another battle to Terry, Laura's beginning to wonder if there's something wrong with her.





	Rivalry

**Author's Note:**

> This is a significant timeskip from the previous few stories, but I didn’t think there was anything rly of note between there and here? If I think of something I’ll write it out and add it appropriately. This time we get to see angsty teen laura, so that’s gr8
> 
> This sequence is a year and a half into Laura’s journey. She’s won six badges, and is currently training in Lilycove in anticipation of the seventh. She’s also been traveling with Steven for a little while I think? Also, she’s crossed paths with Spenser several times (much like the player does with Steven in RSE).

Swampert hit the ground with a thud, completely overwhelmed by the opponent’s attack. All six of her Pokémon had been defeated; the battle was over. Laura recalled it wordlessly, almost refusing to believe what had happened. Both Pokémon would have fainted in one more shot; if Swampert had just moved a tiny bit faster…!

Terry recalled his own Pokémon, thanking it for a job well done. Laura could barely look at him; it was all she could do to keep from crying. She’d promised herself that _this time_ she would beat him, but…

_I shouldn’t keep making such empty promises._

Terry walked over and held out his hand to her.

“That was a good battle,” he said, “It was really close, too. Your Pokémon are getting a lot stronger.”

Laura stood there, eyeing his hand with contempt. After a few minutes she turned away.

“Laura!” said Terry insistently, “Come on, let’s shake hands! Isn’t that what trainers do? Shake hands–?”

“No,” said Laura. She started to walk away. She couldn’t even face him anymore, much less shake his hand.

_Why can’t I ever beat him?_

“What’s with you?” Terry folded his arms, “What happened to the Laura who would smile and shake my hand no matter what the outcome was?”

Laura paused, but didn’t turn around.

“She got tired of losing to you,” she said simply.

“That’s it?” said Terry, “You’re ‘tired’ of losing to me? If you’re so tired of losing to me, why don’t you try to change your strategy instead of blaming your loss on _me?_ Your Pokémon may be stronger, but _you_  never change!”

Laura didn’t want to hear it. She continued walking without a glance back.

Terry clenched his fists.

“When did beating me become so important to you…?”

* * *

Laura sat in her room at the Pokémon Center that night, curled up into a ball with her head between her knees. The more she told herself to get over it, the less she felt she could. She had been so close–it came down to which Pokémon could move first, and Swampert lost. All that training hadn’t helped her in the end. What was she even training for? Her six badges didn’t seem to mean anything. Against Terry, she was powerless.

_Aren’t rivals supposed to be equals…?_

The door opened, but Laura didn’t bother looking up. It was Steven.

“There you are,” he said, “I’ve been looking all over town for you. I tried calling, but you didn’t answer.”

“Sorry, must not have heard it ring.”

“Well, I guess that’s fair…” Steven replied, “I was worried about you. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” She knew he wouldn’t believe her, but she said it anyway.

“No, you’re not.”

She sighed.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.”

Steven furrowed his brows.

“It’s Terry, isn’t it. Are you two fighting again?”

“This doesn’t have anything to do with you.”

“Laura, you’re my friend! Of course it–!”

“ _Just leave me alone!!”_

Her voice came out sharper than she’d intended. Steven took a step back, and frowned slightly.

“Okay. If that’s what you need…”

He closed the door, leaving her to her thoughts. Laura immediately regretted snapping at him, and her stomach sank. If she hadn’t pushed him away, maybe she could’ve vented to him…

No, she didn’t need to vent. Whenever she told people how she felt, they tended to try to give her advice. Laura didn’t want advice; she was even sick of hearing it. If she wanted advice, she’d ask for it outright. What she wanted was for someone to just _listen_ to her without offering their opinion.

_Is it too much to ask?_

* * *

After shaking hands and collecting prize money, Laura watched the defeated hiker go on his way. Her Swampert had made quick work of his rock and ground-type Pokémon, and it was a flawless victory. Yet somehow, Laura only felt disheartened. Her Pokémon had been strong enough to pull through six gym battles, and to defeat countless other trainers around her skill level. Why was Terry still so far out of her league?

“Something on your mind, child?”

Laura jumped and turned to see a familiar bearded old man standing not far from her. She was so lost in thought that she hadn’t even noticed him approaching.

“Not really…”

Spenser’s smile never wavered.

“Are you sure? You looked so pensive… Come, tell me what’s bothering you.”

His tone was so disarming that Laura couldn’t help but answer him.

“I’ve been on this journey for a year and a half now,” said Laura, “I have a strategy that’s working and my Pokémon are getting strong, but no matter what I do, I always lose to Terry.”

“Hm…” Spenser seemed troubled by this.

“It’s humiliating,” said Laura, “We’ve both been at this for the same amount of time, we have the same number of badges and almost the same number of Pokémon… but when we battle, it’s… it’s a _joke_. He creams me every time. He’s my rival, but I don’t stand a chance.”

“Hm,” said Spenser, “I can see how that would be disheartening, yes.”

“Shouldn’t rivals be equals?” asked Laura, “Shouldn’t it be a close match every time, and not just the times when I get lucky?”

“I don’t disagree,” said Spenser, “I had a rival too, in my day. Friendly competition is a wonderful thing. But it’s important not to forget the friendly part.”

“I want to be friendly!” said Laura, “But it feels like I can’t ever win when we fight, like he’s mocking all the progress I’ve made…”

“Laura,” said Spenser, “It’s dangerous to start thinking that way. When a rivalry becomes only about winning, rather than both sides challenging each other to improve, that’s when feelings get hurt.”

Laura scoffed.

“No kidding. Didn’t need you to tell me that.”

Spenser’s expression didn’t change.

“Sometimes the things your heart needs most are the things it does not know how to ask for,” he said.

“Hmph. Whatever.”

“Your predicament reminds me of a story that my grandparents used to tell me,” Spenser continued, “It’s an old story, passed down through the Hoenn native tribes for generations. It’s about the guardian Pokémon of the land and the sea. These two Pokémon lived in harmony for a very long time, and one day they started having friendly battles to see which of them was the better Pokémon. At first it was all good-natured fun, but soon they began to get more competitive. They became bitter rivals, and their friendship suffered. To this day, if the two of them cross paths, they can only fight each other.”

Laura had heard of those Pokémon. Surely Spenser was referring to Groudon and Kyogre, the fearsome Pokémon of Hoenn legend. Drake had told her about them when she was a child, part of a series of stories he’d told her about legendary Pokémon. She wondered why Spenser didn’t mention the third Pokémon, the one her grandfather cared most about…

“It’s not that bad yet,” said Laura, “It’s just…”

“Well, let me try a different approach,” said Spenser, “Show me your trainer card.  I want to see how many badges you’ve earned.”

Laura took out her card to show him. Spenser looked it over, nodding thoughtfully.

“Six badges… how wonderful,” he said, “You’ve come a long way in such a short time. You should be proud of your achievements.”

“I am, but…”

“And why did you start pursuing gym badges, if I may ask?”

“Because… because Terry was doing it, and it sounded fun. After we both won the Stone badge, we decided to have a race to see who could get all 8 first.”

“Good, good,” said Spenser, “Many rivals do just that, and there’s no harm in it. Now, let me ask you something. If you two are racing to collect badges, why is beating Terry in a Pokémon battle so important for you?”

“Because I have to prove to him that I’m not weak!” said Laura, “He probably thinks I won these badges by accident…”

“I’m sure he doesn’t, but let me ask you another question,” said Spenser, “Say you beat Terry today. What are you going to do next week?”

“Well…” Laura wasn’t even thinking about her plans for tomorrow, much less next week, “I guess… keep training for the next gym.”

“Exactly,” said Spenser, “Even if you’re feeling down on yourself, it’s important not to lose sight of your goals. Being a Pokémon trainer is a journey, and the journey is far more important than the goal. Perhaps one day you will be able to defeat Terry. But for now, you have six of the eight badges in Hoenn, and that’s something to celebrate.”

Laura understood his logic, but wasn’t sure his advice was helpful. _What’s the point if I still can’t beat Terry? I worked hard for these badges, but I bet he just danced through them. We both have six badges, but he’s so much better…_

_I have to beat him to eight badges. I have to. If I can’t win with battles, I’ll win with badges. That will show him._

“Well?” said Spenser, “Just some food for thought. I should probably be on my way–”

“Wait.”

Spenser paused.

“You asked a bunch of questions, so now I have one for you,” said Laura, “Why did you give me a Pokémon at all?”

“Hm?”

“There must be hundreds of potential trainers out there, and you came all the way out to Littleroot to find me. Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Spenser shrugged.

“No reason, really,” said Spenser, “I had some extra Pokémon, and a good friend of mine happened to have a granddaughter of age to become a Pokémon Trainer. I decided I’d see how it went. If either of you had refused my offer, I had several other options. In the end, I’m glad you accepted. The Pokémon I gave you seems very happy with you.”

“That’s it?” said Laura, “Just random chance?”

Spenser smiled.

“I don’t believe anything happens by chance,” he said, “Everything that has happened in my life, good or bad, has brought me to where I am now. The joys are to be celebrated, the sorrows merely challenges to be overcome. The same is true for you, I think. Even things that seemed random have brought you one step closer to the you that is standing here.”

“I don’t know if I believe that.”

“Not now, perhaps,” said Spenser, “But you are young. You lack perspective. In time, you may be able to see things differently–but there is no rush. For now, you have other things to focus on, such as winning two more badges. I look forward to seeing where your journey with Pokémon takes you.”


End file.
